Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Have you ever tried to put on new tyres and thought they will never fit? Sometimes it feels like the tyres are 2/3 the size of the wheel and you'll nearly break your fingers trying to make it work.

What NOT to do:

DO NOT use tyre levers to help pry the tyre onto the rim. This will only pinch the tube and you'll have to start again.

My Technique:

Fit one side of the tyre bead around the rim. Then put the tube in the tyre, slightly inflated to give it a bit of shape. Start working on the tyre as you normally would starting from the valve side. When it becomes tough to get the rest of the bead onto the rim, spray some WD-40 onto the troubled section of the rim. No need to use a lot, just enough to lube it up. Using a rag over the tyre for grip, start working the tyre with both hands from either side. It should easily slide onto the rim. Finally, check that the tube is not being pinched anywhere by the tyre. To do this, squeeze the tyre on both sides all the way around the rim. There should be no tube popping out anywhere.